Engine block construction



' Dec. 24, 1957 Filed July '7, 1955 A. M. BRENNEKE- ENGINE BLOCK CONSTRUCTION I 2 SheetS -Sheet 1 INVENTO'R.

Dec. 24, 1957 A. M. BRENNEKE 2,8 7, 7

I ENGINE BLOCK CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed July 7; 1955 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 United States Patent 2,817,327 ENGINE BLOCK CONSTRUCTION Arthur M. Brenneke,

fect Circle Corporation, tion of Indiana Application July 7, 1955, Serial No. 520,528 8 Claims. ((31. 123-195) Hagerstown, Ind a corpora- The invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and more particularly to an engine block construction and an assembly of cylinder liners therefor.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel engine block construction utilizing wet cylinder liners, which greatly simplifies the block casting and hence reduces the cost of making it.

It is also an object to provide a novel engine block construction utilizing wet cylinder liners, which requires a minimum of space between the respective cylinders and thus may be shorter than a block of ordinary construction.

Another important object is to provide a novel engine block construction utilizing wet cylinder liners, in which all the liners are replaceable as a single unit.

A further object is to struction utilizing wet cylinder liners, in which the effect of the stresses resulting from securing the cylinder head is minimized, and which provides great latitude in the location of the studs for securing the head to the block.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an engine block construction embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cylinder block alone;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cylinder block with a liner assembly mounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the engine block construction shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the liner assemblyutilized in the engine block construction illustrated herein.

The usual engine block construction of the type used in automotive cylinder head. Of course, if the engine is of the V type,

then two cylinder heads are used on the respective'sides of the engine. In constructions of this kind, the cylinder block has the cylinder bores formed therein so that the cylinder walls are an integral part of the block casting, and the character of metal used to make such a casting is determined A casting of this type is difficult and expensive to make both because of the character of metal used and because of the intricacies of the coring necessary to provide passages in the block for coolant. A cylinder block of this character must also be provided with openings in its top to conduct coolant to the cylinder head, and with passages for conducting oil to the rocker arm mechanisms mounted in the cylinder head.

At the present time many engines are provided with wet cylinder liners which eliminate some of the difiiculties in connection with a cylinder block ofthe type first described.

Thus, with wet liners, only the liner need be made of Hagerstown, Ind., assignor to Perprovide a novel engine block conby the requirements for the cylinder walls.

a vehicles comprises a cylinder block and a' 1 shown separately in Fig.

23,317,327 Patented Dec. 24, 1957 can be made of a relatively simple box-like construction open at its top so that the coring for such casting is more easily accomplished and the casting can be more thoroughly cleaned to remove the coring. The present construction also provides for a minimum of space between the respective cylinders so that the cylinder block can be made shorter than in the are integral with the block or the case where separate liners are utilized. The present construction also minimizes the effect of stresses resulting from securing the cylinder head to the block and permits great latitude for the location of the studs which secure the cylinder head to the block. The present construction further provides a metal seal for the upper end of the coolant space in the block and permits the The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises V generally a cylinder block of box-like form comprising side walls and a bottom wall, the latter having a plurality of aligned openings, one for each cylinder. Mounted on the block is a liner assembly comprising a plurality of aligned liners and a plate provided with a plurality of openings in which the upper ends of the liners are rigidly secured. The plate is adapted to rest on the top of the block and to be clamped thereon by the cylinder head, and the liners extend downwardly into the block in spaced relation to the side walls thereof to provide coolant space, with the lower ends of the liners extending into and seated in the openings in the bottom of the block.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the cylinder block is indicated generally at 10. In an engine of box-like form. For purposes of shown the invention embodied in a V type engine where the cylinder block 10 comprises two box-like portions, indicated generally at 11, positioned at an angle to each illustration, I have other.

' dinally aligned openings 15, one for each cylinder. Below the bottom wall 14 is the usual crankcase portion of the engine. The top of each box-like portion 11 is open except for a flange 16 formed integrally as a part of the casting. Freferably the flange would extend outwardly casting, but in the present instance the flange from the side and end Walls.

The liner assembly, indicated generally at 20 and 5, comprises a plurality of cylinsecured at their upper ends to a flat plate 22 is adapted to rest on the flange 16 block and to be secured thereto by the The liners 21 the openings 15 formed in the bottom wall thereof. Preferably, each opening 15 and the associated liner is provided with an inter-engaging shoulder structure 24 to support the liner drical liners 21 22. The plate of the cylinder at the lower end thereof and to provide for a seal. Such case where the cylinder walls where the cylinders are in a single *row, the cylinder block would comprise a single casting 16 is shown as extending inwardly because of the spacing of the liners amuse? 3 seal may be formed by an O-ring or by an adhesive such as an epoxy resin.

The liners 21 are of course spaced from the side walls 12 and the end walls 13 to provide a coolant areawithin the block, and the side Walls 12 may be shaped to give the desired amount of coolant space. In the present instance, the side walls are shown as being scalloped, as indicated at 25, to conform generallyto the curvature of the liners so that the coolant space is of approximately uniform width throughout the circumference of each cylinder. The scalloping thus reduces the coolant capacity so that it is less than if the side walls of the block were straight, and the scalloping also provides increased strength and rigidity. The top flange 16 may also be tlzqorregpondingly scalloped at its inner edge, as shown in As mentioned above, the liners 21 at their upper ends are rigidly secured to the plate 22 in openings therein. Any suitable means may be provided for securing the liners to the plate, such as screw-threads or by brazing the liners into the plate. In the present instance, brazing has been used. The liners are thus rigidly held by the plate at their upper ends and are seated at their lower ends in the cylinder block.

The liner assembly is adapted to be secured on the top of the cylinder block by being clamped between the block and the cylinder head 23. The cylinder head may be secured to the block in the usual manner, that is, by the use of studs threaded into the block and extending upwardly through the plate 22 and through the head 23. In the present instance, the studs are threaded into the flange 16 of the block, and holes 26 (see Fig. 2) are provided for this purpose. The presence of the flange 16 at the upper end of the block permits wide latitude in selecting the particular locations for the studs around the perimeter of the block. As mentioned above, the studs utilized are of the usual form, that is, they are threaded into the holes 26 and extend upwardly through the plate and through the head 23 for engagement with nuts 27 (see Fig. l) on their upper ends. To provide a suitable seal for the coolant, a gasket 28 (see Fig. 4) may be placed between the flange I6 and the plate 22. Similarly, a gasket 29 may be placed between the plate 22 and the head 23 to provide a seal against combustion gases.

Since the area within the flange 16 is open in the block but is closed by the plate 22, the cylinder head 23 may be secured to the plate in this area by providing a plurality of threaded holes 36 in the plate. Screws 31 (see Fig. 1) are then provided, which extend through the head and are threaded in the holes 39.

The plate 22 may also be provided with large openings 32 to permit push rods for operating the valves of the engine to extend therethrough. The coolant for the cylinder head is usually supplied from the coolant cavities in the cylinder block. In the present construction, since the coolant space in the block lies between the liners 21 and the side walls 12 and end walls 13, the top plate 22 is apertured in this area to permit the flow of coolant to the cylinder head. Thus, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, holes 33 are provided for this purpose.

The cylinder block of in engine is usually provided with one or more passages aligned with passages in the cylinder head to supply oil to the rocker arm mechanism mounted on the head. In the present instance such passages in the cylinder block are shown at 34 in 2. It is also desirable to provide dowel pins in the block to properly position the liner assembly thereon before the head is secured in place. In the present instance, I provide dowel pins 35 (see Fig. 3) which are tubular in form and are mounted in the oil passages 34%. The dowel pins 35 extend through apertures 3d (see Pi g. in the plate 22 and are of sufficient length to enter the oil passages in the cylinder head. Thus, the dowel pins provide for oil flow therethrough and also serve to position 4- both the liner assembly and the cylinder headon the block.

With the foregoing construction, it will be evident that I have provided a novel engine block construction utilizing wet cylinder liners, which simplifies the cylinder block casting. Thus, the casting can be made merely in a box-like form so that when the liners with their top plate 22 are in position, a coolant space is provided between the liners and the side and end walls of the block casting. The construction requires a minimum of space between the respective cylinders since no part of the cylinder block is located between the liners. The liner assembly comprising the plate 22 and the liners 21 is replaceable as a single unit and because of its rigidity the effect of the stresses resulting from securing the cylinder head to the block is minimized. The construction also provides wide choice for the location of the studs for securing the head to the block and the plate provides a metal coolant seal.

I claim:

1. An engine block construction comprising a block of generally rectangular box-like form having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of laterally spaced liner receiving openings, said block being open at its top, and a liner assembly secured to the top of said block and comprising a plurality of laterally spaced cylindrical liners of substantially uniform external diameter throughout their length positioned within the block and extending into the respective liner receiving openings, and a plate having a plurality of laterally spaced openings to receive said liners with the plate secured thereto, said plate overlying the top of said block and closing the space within said block and outside of said liners.

2. An engine block construction comprising a block of generally rectangular box-like form having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of laterally spaced cylinder openings, said block being open at its top, a liner assembly secured to the top of said block and comprising a plurality of separate cylindrical liners positioned within the block and extending at their lower ends into said cylinder openings, and a plate having a plurality of laterally spaced openings to receive the upper ends of said liners with the plate secured thereto, said plate overlying the top of said block to close the space within said block and outside of said liners, and a cylinder head overlying said plate and secured to said block and clamping said plate against the top of said block, said liners being held in laterally spaced relation to each other by said plate at the upper ends of the liners and by said block at the lower ends of the liners.

3. An engine block construction comprising a block of box-like form having a side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a plurality of laterally aligned spaced liner openings, and the side wall at its top having a flange throughout the perimeter of the block, and a liner assembly comprising a plate resting on and secured to said flange and having a plurality of laterally spaced aligned openings, and a plurality of cylindrical liners secured at their upper end to said plate in the aligned openings thereof and extending into the liner openings in the bottom wall of said block, said liners being laterally spaced from each other and from said side wall and being laterally supported solely by said plate and said bottom wall.

4. An engine block construction comprising a block of box-like form having a side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a plurality of laterally spaced aligned liner receiving openings with the margin of each opening provided with an upwardly facing shoulder, and a liner assembly comprising a plate resting on and secured to the top of said side wall and having a plurality of laterally spaced aligned openings, and a plurality of liners secured to said plate in the aligned openings thereof and extending downwardly therefrom in spaced relation to each other and seated on said shoulders.

5. An engine block construction comprising a block of box-like form having a side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a plurality of aligned cylinder openings, and the side wall at its top having a flange throughout the perimeter of the block, a liner assembly comprising a plate resting on and secured to said flange and having a plurality of aligned openings, and a plurality of liners secured to said plate in the aligned openings thereof and extending into the cylinder openings in the bottom wall of said block, and a cylinder head overlying said plate and clamping said plate against said flange, said block having a plurality of studs extending from said flange through said plate and said head for securing the head to said flange, and said head having a plurality of screws threaded into said plate in the area inside of said flange.

6. An engine block construction comprising a block of box-like form having an end wall, a side wall and a bottom wall, said bottom wall having a plurality of aligned openings, said side wall being of scalloped form with the scallops concentric with said openings, said end and side walls having a flange at the top with the block entirely open in the area within said flange, and a liner assembly comprising a plurality of liners mounted in said block in substantially uniform spaced relation to said scallops and to each other and having their lower ends secured in said aligned openings, and a plate for supporting the upper ends of said liners and having a plurality of aligned openings in which said liners are secured, said plate being secured adjacent its outer edge to said flange and closing the open area within said flange.

7. A cylinder liner asse comprising a plate adapted surface of said block and plate having a plurality of l mbly for a cylinder block, to be mounted on the upper to be clamped thereto, said aterally spaced aligned openings, and a plurality of separate cylindrical liners rigidly secured at their upper ends in said openings and adapted at their lower ends to seat in said block,

8. A cylinder liner asse prising a plate adap surface of said blo edges of said block, erally spaced aligned rate cylindrical liners, throughout their length in said openings and br liners being adapted at said block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Daiber et al Apr. 25,

Cross Sept. 26,

Seitz Aug. 3,

Trout July 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 21,

Australia Oct. 6,

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No, 2,817,327 December 24, 1957 Arthur M,, Brenneke It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, lines 53 and 54, for "aligned spaced" reed spaced Signed and sealed this 25th day of March 1958.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL Ho AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Atteeting Officer Comissioner of Patents 

